


Ducks and Other Things That Quack

by koanju (verstehen)



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-12-19
Updated: 2005-12-19
Packaged: 2017-10-13 20:26:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/141410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/verstehen/pseuds/koanju
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Single play: be the hero. Cooperative play: team up with a friend and save mankind. Multiplayer: frag everyone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ducks and Other Things That Quack

As head of Security on Atlantis, Evan Lorne relished being able to schedule shifts for the work details around the city. It meant he got to pick the times he wanted for himself. It made going off world, when needed, easier and it damn well meant he got to work the hours he liked.

Atlantis was best at night.

He liked third watch on Wednesdays when he could get it. And if he couldn't, Lorne made damn sure someone loyal to him, to Colonel Sheppard or to Dr. Weir took the shift.

It wasn't that he felt any particular loyalty to Sheppard or Weir, though he had to admit after Hammond and O'Neill, Weir was pretty much a dream to work under. Sheppard could still use some work as a commander, but he was coming along nicely. Lorne just hoped Weir broke him of his 'leading from the front' habit; it was going to get the man killed and then they'd all be screwed when Atlantis got pissy at them for letting her favorite son bite the big one.

He did it because he thought Caldwell was a prick. And not just a normal prick, but the kind of prick that would use Wednesday nights against Sheppard, Weir and more importantly, against Lorne's men. He didn't want that type of prick running Atlantis.

"Major." Dr. Zelenka was always the first one there. Of course, it was his party. "You will be playing tonight? I add you to list?"

Lorne shook his head as Zelenka pushed his glasses up his nose with his right index finger. The doctor's left hand was fishing around the table he was perched on. Lorne spotted his tablet and pen a few inches from the questing hand. "Nah, I'm on duty tonight. But I'll be checking in as I do my rounds."

Zelenka's hand stopped searching beside him. "Is pity, Major, I have new spirits for tonight. And," he paused and leaned forward. "We are warming up with something else new."

"Yeah?" he asked, raising his eyebrows slightly and shifted the strap of his P90 more comfortably on his shoulder.

Zelenka rubbed his hands together and jumped off the blue table. It looked like everything was set up given the way wires were everywhere, connecting Zelenka's laptop to the huge Ancient wall screen and even more cables connecting his laptop to the three linked systems that were going to be the night's entertainment. Lorne had a feeling the Wednesday tradition had been going on for a long time. Maybe even since the very beginning, even when they were desperate for power and resources. It'd be in the files. Maybe some day when he had some spare time, Lorne could check and see what Zelenka's one item had been.

Now, it only took Zelenka a few minutes to set everything up. It definitely indicated quite a bit of practice. Even the first time Lorne had stumbled on him plugging red wires into blue holes and making the systems compatible with Ancient ones it had been a short wait as he'd watched and made sure the Doc didn't electrocute himself or slip off the table when he was plugging into the wall.

"I received a new shipment on last Daedalus supply run," Zelenka explained, taking his expedition jacket off and folding it with near military precision. He laid it down next to a plain black bag that probably contained most of Zelenka's stash for the night.

"Looking forward to -"

"Oh!" A soft voice said from the doorway. "I thought I would be the first." It was the Japanese scientist Katsuragi? Kasunagi? Ka-something? She was a shy thing normally and outside of Wednesday nights he didn't ever see her. He wasn't even sure what she did; the scientists - unless he was babysitting - weren't his problem. Her long black hair was pulled back into a braid lapping over the left shoulder of her -

Yellow duck pajamas.

"Miko!" Zelenka beamed at her, running a hand through his hair and making it poof up slightly. "Good; you got my email about the theme."

"Ducks?" Lorne didn't even bother to try and hide his grin. Miko - Kusanagi, that was it, he suddenly remembered -- looked down.

"Yes, Major," Zelenka said, stepping from Lorne's side to shield Kusanagi a little. "Is pajama party."

"That's another good reason for me not to stay: way more than I needed to know about the sleeping habits of scientists."

The fact that he didn't actually _have_ pajamas beyond his military issue boxers was also just a little bit of an issue.

Zelenka ignored the light sarcasm lacing his words and turned back to Kusanagi. "Would you mind fixing food and drinks? They are in that bag," he pointed toward the black bag on the table.

Kusanagi murmured something that sounded like 'of course,' or 'absolutely' or, to be fair, might have been 'fuck off.' But since she walked over to the table and started pulling out bottle after bottle of a clear liquid, Lorne thought he could get away with thinking it was a 'Yes, sure.' "Nice, Doc," he said finally as the fourth bottle came out of the bag. "Athosian?"

"Mostly." He shrugged and grinned. "I provided potatoes and they made vodka for us. Are you sure you are not staying, Major?"

Lorne looked back over at the bag where now, finally, the real prizes of the evening were coming out: Zelenka's modded Xbox and a copy of Soul Calibur 3. "Three? That's out?"

"Is brand new." Who knew that Czechs could look like the Cheshire Cat? "I had friend smuggle me a care package." His smile turned triumphant. "We will fight and then we play Halo 2 as planned. We will also get very drunk and relax."

Lorne looked back over at where Kusanagi was setting up cups and the alcohol. A lot of cups. Zelenka had to be expecting quite a turn-out for this many cups. The rule was one cup to a person; if you lost your cup, you didn't get to drink anymore. Zelenka himself didn't drink and he wanted to bet Kusanagi didn't either. Someone had to clean up after the party later.

And the last Wednesday night he'd poked his head into had been pretty popular. There'd been around twenty-five people in total. Sixteen were playing the first-person shooter all linked in a spree killing level. The ones who died the most often rotated out and new players came in each new game. Everyone got a chance to play. In the beginning. Once the tournament was in full swing, if you lost, you were out completely until there was only one person left with the most kills. "So who's the reigning champ?"

Zelenka nodded toward Kusanagi. "Miko is. That is why she has clean up duty with me this week. She is beginner and that makes others angry. Mostly men." He shook his head sadly. "She also volunteered."

"Nice." Lorne tried to hide his surprise as he looked over at the petite woman covered in bright ducks. It wasn't that she was a woman that threw him; his younger sister was a pretty hardcore gamer, all things considered. But to find out she was an absolute beginner at Halo 2 and kicking ass, that was a little unusual. "Still doesn't explain why the pajamas. And why you're not dressed for the occasion, Doc."

Zelenka laughed and headed over to the table to help Kusanagi. He'd pretty much been dismissed. "Is for my amusement alone, Major. You will come back and play a round later, yes?"

"Sure, if I have time on my rounds," he promised, starting on his way.

It'd also depend on who was there. The more military that showed up, the less he could get away with slacking on his duties.

But he did want to try out Soul Calibur 3.

End


End file.
